


Bring Me Home To Who I Was

by EternalRedWolfe



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 19:11:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11168271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalRedWolfe/pseuds/EternalRedWolfe
Summary: After the destruction of Sunnydale, the Scoobies are camped out at the Hyperion hotel, rounding up slayers from all over the world.  But when Xander calls with news of an old friend,  Rupert Giles and Wesley Wyndam Pryce rush to San Francisco to help someone they care about.





	1. Chapter 1

"Buffy's a fighter," Giles reassured, rubbing the back of his neck. "She and Faith will be fine."

"It's not Buffy I'm worried about."

"Ah, yes, the other vampire with a soul." Giles give a small jump as a noise started coming from his breast pocket. He reached in and pulled out a phone, which he quickly flipped open and brought to his ear. "Hello. Dawn. I can barely-- These cursed things... What?" His demeanour changed. He threw a quick glance back at Wesley before turning his back on him completely. "What are you talking about? You're quite sure?" A pause. "No, I'm not saying that, all I'm saying is that it's been a very emotional time for you all lately..." Giles pushed his right hand into his pocket. "Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Is everything alright?" Wesley asked.

Giles turned to him. "Let's continue this in the car. Fancy a road trip?"

"Where?" Wesley pushed his chair back from his desk as Giles pulled his Jacket back on.

"San Francisco."

The two walked out into the lobby of the Hyperion hotel. "I'll just let Angel know."

"Let Fred do it. We need to go now." 

Winifred Burkle and Charles Gunn looked at the two Watcher's. "I can do it. What will I tell him?"

"Tell him Xander and Willow have found a person of interest in San Francisco."

"Person of interest?" Wesley asked as Giles was already pushing open the front door. "May I ask who?"

Giles sighed deeply. "An old friend."

~~

Anya slid into the front seat of the car, carrying a tray of coffee. Xander took the offering but didn't drink any. He was staring at the house, large and domineering, unlike anything that had really resided in Sunnydale. "Can you believe that people actually live in houses like these?"

"I know." Anya glanced back up at the house. "It's so pretty."

"Where did the others get to?" 

Anya took a bite into the donut she had been offering to Xander. "Dawn's gone to meet Giles. He's bringing Wesley. And Willow's gone to check out some magic stores in the area, in case -"

"Don''t. Don't even go there." The car went quiet. Suddenly Xander slammed his hand into the steering wheel. "How can she even think about doing that?"

"Xander. She just wants to be prepared. LA, Sunnydale - a lot of bad stuff happened."

He turned to her so she could see his patched eye. "You don't need to remind me."

"We thought Giles was the first once. Why not her?" Anya moved her eyes, behind them. "They're here."

A silver car pulled up along side Xander's smaller, darker car and rolled down the window. Wesley looked out from behind the wheel, Giles repositioned himself in the passenger seat so he could get a better look at his colleague at the New Watcher's Council and Dawn stuck her head up from the back seat.

"Hello, Xander."

"Wes. You guys made good time." 

"Any sightings?" Giles asked, looking out front window, taking note of the entire street.

"Not since we saw them go inside yesterday. How do you want to play this?" All eyes turned to the seasoned watcher who, in some way, had acted as a mentor or father figure to each and every person. 

He took a deep breath and undid his seat belt. "Dawn, come with me. Xander, Anya keep an eye on the front door. Wesley, go a few times around the block: checkout the back." Giles joined the young girl on the quiet street.

"Be careful," Wesley said quickly before he sped away.

"Are you going to do anything... Stupid?" Xander asked.

Giles shook his head. "I just want to meet these people. Find out what I can. In and out in 5 minutes." He crossed the street with Dawn. "Are you sure you're alright with this?"

"Yeah. If this is her..."

Giles looked at the young girl who was more of a daughter to him, whom he felt more like a father towards, than any of the others, Buffy included. Since Buffy had decided to lay down her life for Dawn, Giles realised he would have done the very same thing. "If you want to leave, let me know. Squeeze my hand. If you get uncomfortable."

"Hey, watcher's in training don't run in the face of fear." They made it to the top of the steps. Giles knocked on the door. "They scurry in it." She craned her neck from side to side, an act she had watched Buffy do so many times, thinking that just by doing it she was becoming stronger. In reality, it had no effect. "So, uh, what's our play?" she asked, lowering her voice.

But Giles didn't get a chance to answer. A tall, well built man holding a baby opened the door. The baby caught Giles slightly off guard but anyone who didn't know him wouldn't have noticed. Dawn, however had gotten very used to the defensive tension beside her. Something that had become more and more frequent in the last 6 months since the destruction of Sunnydale.

"Good afternoon," he started as politely as possible. Just get in the door. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your day. My name is Rupert Giles, this is my daughter Dawn. We, uh-" He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "We've just moved to San Francisco, sort of last minute and we couldn't help but notice the house across the street is up for sale. I was hoping to call the realtor but unfortunately-" Giles pulled out his cell phone. "These blasted things have been the bane of my existence. I don't suppose I could impose upon you to use your phone?"

The baby struggled against his father's hold and smiled. "Of course. Come in." The man stepped aside and closed the door behind them. "I'm Leo, this is Chris." Dawn reached out and too the hand the baby offered. Giles smiled at the little act of innocence but was soon brought back to reality, what she was training to do. "The phone's through here."

"This house is beautiful. I only hope the one across the street is half as nice." Giles picked up the phone and dialled. 

Dawn continued to be infatuated with the little bundle. "Do you want to hold him?" Leo asked.

"Really?" Dawn was still getting used to the responsibility being bestowed upon her by the 'Scooby Gang', she didn't expect such responsibility from a complete stranger.

"He likes you. He's usually not good with strangers."

"Dawn." Giles had the phone pressed to his shoulder and looked at her sternly. 

"I'm not going to drop him."

"Come here." Leo led her over to the sofa and sat down. When Dawn was seated beside him, he handed over his son to the girl, keeping his hands close should something go wrong. The little boy laughed gleefully as Dawn bounced him on her knee. 

"So, is it just the two of you?"

"No. My wife and I have another little boy, Wyatt, a couple of years older. And Piper's sisters live with us."  
"Ugh, sisters. They can be such a pain."  
"You have sisters?"Dawn nodded. "One who's blood. The rest are more… foster siblings. There's ten of us all together."

"Wow, your parents must be something else."

Dawn froze. This was going into uncharted territory. She would be getting a very stern talking to from Giles later. "My mom… she died a couple of years back. Gi- Dad has been looking after us on his own since." She looked up to Giles standing behind them. "Oh. Hi. Been there long?"

"What? No." Giles put on his stern face. "Why?"

"Oh, Mr. uh… Leo was just telling me about his family. He has another little boy and sister in laws. How did that go?"

"Uh, well, yes. Very well. The agent can let us have a look in an hour."

"It's a really great neighbourhood. Dawn was saying that it's a big family you have."

"Yes, and I think it's high time we regroup. I want Wesley and Xander to have a look at the house with me."

Dawn handed Chris back to Leo and stood up, arms crossed. "And what about us poor defenceless womenfolk?"

"Please, Dawn, sarcasm isn't a good look on you." Giles began walking to the door. "Thank you again for letting us impose on you."

Dawn waved goodbye to the baby, who waved back. "Hey, and if we get the house and you ever need a babysitter…"

"You'll be top of the list," Leo smiled. "I hope to see more of you guys."

"You too," Giles said, opening the door. "And thank you again."

The door closed behind them. Giles pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and ran a hand through his hair. Across the street, Xander's car started and pulled off. Dawn and Giles crossed the street, waiting for Wesley.

"His wife's name is Piper. They have another little boy, Wyatt. And his wife's sister's live with them."��"You're not babysitting those little boys. Ever."

"Why not? We could use the extra cash."

Giles sighed and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Miss Kitty Fantastico."

"Miss Kitty Fantatico should never have been in the back room of the shop. The person who let her back there are just as much to blame as I am."

"You shouldn't have been handling that cro--" He raised his hands in surrender. "No, I'm not getting into this again." He took his glasses off and wiped them. "Did he say how many sisters?"

Dawn shook her head. "Why?"

"Because I didn't see her in any of the photographs. Dawn, you're sure Xander saw what he saw?"

"He's sure. And I trust him."

Wesley pulled up beside them and the two jumped into the car, eager to get something to eat before meeting the realtor.


	2. Chapter 2

Giles walked into the kitchen, still in the sweats he had slept in. He had taken the night shift watching the Halliwell house. Wesley took over at 5am. But Giles hadn't gotten much sleep. How could he when they had no idea what they were dealing with? They weren't even sure they were dealing with anything.

When he woke, he hadn't even shaved. He headed straight downstairs for coffee. When he walked into the kitchen, Willow, Anya, Xander and Wesley were seated at the kitchen table. "Good afternoon."

"Shouldn't you still be asleep?" Willow asked.

"Yes, but that wasn't going too well. Coffee?"

Willow walked over and handed him a cup. "It should still be warm."

"It'll do." Giles sat down with the group. "Did Dawn get to school alright?" 

"Yeah, she should be home in a couple of hours though," Anya answered.

"Tara's keeping an eye on the house," Willow offered. 

Giles took a large gulp of his lukewarm coffee. "Anything?" Wesley shook his head.

"It's been a week. I say we storm the place," Xander said.

"And that is why you don't get the final say," Wesley replied.

"No offence Wes, but what are you even doing here?"

"Xander," Willow admonished.

"Really, Xander, where were you when she was dying? When she became half demon? When her body had been hijacked by an evil being?"

Giles all but slammed his cup of coffee down on the table. "Both of you. Stop. We all care about Cordelia." He rubbed his five o'clock shadow. "We don't know who these people are. How she came to be there. We don't know what we'd be walking into."

"Or if she's even there," Wesley mumbled.

"Seriously, Wesley, I'm this far from smacking your face."

"Xander." Giles rubbed his eyes. "Wesley's right. We need to make sure she's in there before we do anything."

"And how are we going to make sure of that? They're not letting her out of the house. And we're not making any efforts to get in there."

Anya raised her hand. "I have an idea. Well, what does everyone love?" She looked from Wesley to Giles. "Well, almost everyone…" No one answered. "A party. We throw a party and invite the Halliwells. If they show up, we get into the house and look for Cordelia."

"Cordy did love a party." Willow smiled, clearly entertaining the idea. "And it'd, you know, give us a chance to meet the neighbours."

"That's really not a bad idea," Wesley agreed.

Xander conceded. "While we're making nice, Will and Wes can get into the house and have a look around."

Giles stood up. "Alright. I'll pop around and invite the neighbours when Dawn gets back. I'll take her with me."

After a small catnap and a shave, Giles met Dawn off the school bus and together they walked along the street, inviting a few select neighbours before they rounded back to the Halliwell house. 

"How was school today?"

"Fine." She looked up at him. "I mean, I now what I want to do with my life, I'm going to be a Watcher, so why do I need an education?"

Giles smiled. He sometimes forgot that she was a teenager. Buffy had been leaning on the same argument as Dawn but Giles insisted that an education was favoured by the Watcher's Council, and he wanted the child who had a tough few years to have some semblance of a normal life for what was left of her childhood.

Dawn rang the door bell and it was promptly pulled open by Leo. "Hey Rupert. Dawn. How're you guys settling in?"

"Well, Leo, thank you." They walked into the house. Leo led them to the living room where three brunettes were sitting, two engaged in a game with a toddler and one holding the baby Chris. Giles stood in the doorway but as the woman holding Chris walked up to them, Dawn walked to meet her.

"Hi, Chris." The baby giggled as Dawn held out her finger and reached for it.

"You guys didn't meet my wife the last time you were here. This is Piper. And these are two of my sister in laws, Prue and Paige. This is Rupert Giles and his daughter, Dawn."

"Lovely to meet you all."

"You moved in across the street, right?" Piper asked.

"Yes."

"With your kids and brother, if I remember correctly," Leo added

"Spot on. Though, uh, foster children. Of a sort. We're a, uh, very close knit group." Giles took off his glasses and began to wipe. "The house is officially overrun with 20 something year olds. They are actually the reason we're imposing again. They think that the best way to get to know our neighbours is by throwing a party and I've been thrown out of the house to invite everyone, buy drinks, food, decorations... Well everything, really in time for tomorrow night."

Prue stood up and crossed her arms. "I don't think we can make it. But enjoy the party."

"Party!?" Giles didn't know it was possible for a body to freeze and boil at the same time but that was the closest description of what he felt at the sound of the familiarly girly and confident voice. He turned and saw two women walking towards him. One, the fourth sister, he assumed, he didn't recognise. 

The other, although he hadn't seen her in four years, he remembered as though he had only seen her yesterday. When Xander had called to say he had seen her, he wouldn't believe it until he saw for himself. Now that he had seen her, he still couldn't believe it. And yet the sight of her long, thick brown hair, deep hazel eyes and infectious warm smile filled him with affection. He had not expected to be gripped with such an emotion.

Dawn had moved away from the baby and made her way back to Giles where she gripped his arm, her nails digging into the fabric of his sleeve. Thankfully instead of his skin.

"What kind of a party?"

Giles shook himself mentally from the happiness of seeing Cordelia Chase standing in front of him. "Sorry?"

"Is it a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny? There is a difference. I know there is, I'm just not sure what it is. I think one of them involves dip."

"Excuse our cousin, Kyra, she's a little odd. I'm Phoebe, by the way."

Giles couldn't take his eyes away from 'Kyra' in case he missed anything. "It's a shindig. The dip, I mean. It's for a shindig. Feel free to bring some. Dip, I mean. If you all decide to come. I certainly hope you do." Giles held out his hand. "Rupert Giles." Nothing. No flicker of recognition. Nausea and fear rose up in Giles at the prospect that this was happening to her again, after everything she went through with Jasmine. 

"Uh, we'll try." Prue glanced at Piper.

"Your accent... I like it," 'Kyra' said.

"I've had it all my life."

Kyra giggled. "We'll be there. At the party."

Giles looked down suddenly. Dawn's was holding onto his arm and suddenly started squeezing. She too was staring at 'Kyra', only she had tears in her eyes. "Giles..."

Giles looked around the room. "We'd better get going." Giles took Dawn to the door, with Prue and Leo following them. "I do hope you all will be able to make it." He glanced back into the house at 'Kyra', catching her sending him a wave and a smile. Dawn wasn't waiting for him: she was already out of the house and heading down the steps. He said one last goodbye as he followed her out of the house. "Dawn," he called after. "Dawn!" She was already on the sidewalk before she stopped. Giles caught up with her and took her by the arm. "Are you alright?"

"She didn't recognise us. She- What's happened to her?"

"We'll find out. Let's get back home, we can't talk out here."


	3. Chapter 3

When they arrived back home, everyone was waiting for them in the front room. "Well?" Xander asked.

Giles and Dawn looked at each other. "We saw her." The room stared at them, stunned.

"Dawn, why don't you get a start on your homework, get it out of the way before tomorrow?" Dawn turned and heded up the stairs. Giles turned to Tara. "Keep her company?"

Giles walked into the living room and sat on the arm of Willow's chair. "You... Saw her? You saw her?" Willow asked.

"Yes. But- She didn't recognise us. She didn't recognise me." The words nearly caught in his throat.

"What do you mean she didn't recognise you? Couldn't it have been an act?" Giles looked at Wesley, who cleared his throat. "Right, yes, well..."

"When you say, 'saw her'...? Like, caught a glimpse?" Xander asked.

"No. Saw her, spoke to, touched her. Stood right in front of her. She did not know who I was."

"How did she look?"

Giles smiled. "Well. Healthy. She's not changed much."

"And possibly changed more than any of the rest of us," Wesley replied fondly.

"Dawn was- I scared her a little. Seeing Cordelia. Her not recognising us." Giles took off his glasses. Though an act he usually did out of habit, now he did it to have something to do with his hands. Slipping his glasses back on, he stood up and walked to the bay window overlooking the street, looking over to the Halliwell Mansion. "Are we all sorted for tomorrow night?"

Willow smiled weakly. "Yeah. We even picked up party hats..."

~~

"No. Really, we can manage here. There's plenty of us around... Dawn's been bombarded with homework... Yes I know you suggested she leave school and that was appreciatively filed away." Wesley walked into the room. "Buffy, really. Stay in L.A for a few days. Spend some time with Angel. Or Spike. Or whatever hell dimension soul you've found." He laughed. "I know... Buffy, I must go, we're attending a neighbourhood party. I'll give your love to Dawn. Stay safe... We will. Talk soon."

"Buffy and Faith succeed in Austria?" Wesley asked as Giles hung up the phone.

"Yes," Giles answered distractedly scanning the paper, "they found the slayers that Willow had located." He tossed the paper to Wesley.

"Anything interesting?"

"A string of disappearances in Michigan." As Giles took his seat at the kitchen table with Wesley, Dawn walked into the room in a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. "You don't look too dressed for a party?"

"I'm not feeling too good so I'm just going to do some reading."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just... Headache."

~~

The party got underway. The people started flowing in. They met the Taylors, the Cranes, the Peters. But an hour into the party, there was still no sign of the Halliwells. "Hey," Anya said to Willow and Giles who were standing by the refreshment table. "Have we thought about what happens if they don't show up?"

But that wasn't something they had to worry about. The door opened and in walked the Halliwells: Prue and Piper, followed by Leo, then Kyra and Phoebe. As the door closed behind them, Wesley, Willow and Xander all fell silent. 

"Does anyone know the meaning of subtlety? Abort the plan," Giles asked Willow, quietly, as he walked away from the refreshment table to the family before Willow could ask why. "Glad you all could make it." He stuck out his hand and shook with Leo. 

"This place looks great," Piper said.

"Paige wanted to come but she had to stay at home with the kids," Phoebe said, taking off her coat.

Kyra bounded to the front of the group. "Hi."

Giles smiled warmly. "Hello, how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you," she replied in a false British accent, giggling.

Giles looked back at the rest of the group, unwillingly. "Come meet my family." Giles led them over to the refreshment table where Tara had joined Willow and Anya. He introduced everyone.

"Welcome to our home," Anya greeted, bubbly. Willow continued to stare.

Tara nudged her. "Drinks?" she asked the guests.

"Willow, perhaps go check on Dawn," Giles suggested.

"Dawn not joining the party?" Leo asked. 

Giles pulled his eyes away from Kyra who was busying herself with the chips and dip. "Unfortunately, she was feeling a little unwell. First week back to school, catching up to do. I'd say she just needed a bit of a rest. Ah," Giles smiled as Wesley and Xander joined them. He introduced the two men. Though more subtle than Willow, they too stared and Kyra for a moment too long.

Giles looked around the room as he refilled his drink. Willow was talking to Prue, Phoebe to Wesley, Anya and the Turners, Leo and Piper to Xander, and Tara to the Cranes. His stomach dropped as he scanned the room. Where was Kyra?

~~

"I thought there was someone missing." Dawn jumped out of her bed, away from the door, dropping her book. She stared at Cordelia smiling back at her. Kyra. "We met yesterday. I'm Kyra." Kyra walked further into the room. "I didn't catch your name yesterday."

"Dawn," she choked. 

Kyra frowned. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting? Do you want me to go? I was looking for the bathroom and I guess I got turned around."

"It's a door down across the hall."

"Thanks." Kyra looked around the room. "I like your bedroom."

"Thanks." Dawn pointed to the boxes in the corner. "There's still some unpacking to do." She bit her lip, but it didn't stop her. "You remind me of someone. That's why I'm acting weird. I... You remind me of someone." 

Kyra sat on the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I thought you needed to go to the bathroom."

Kyra shook her head. "I just needed to get away. It was getting a little bit crowded down there."

Dawn sat down next to Kyra. "She was a friend of my sister's when they were in High School. If my mom and Buffy were busy, Cordy used to come over and hang out with me. Even after her Xander, her boyfriend, Buffy best friend, cheated on her, she still made time for me, taught me about fashion and make-up. She was sort of like a sister to me if Buffy couldn't be." As she was saying it, Dawn realised, that what she remembered about Cordelia, what she believed, wasn't true. She really didn't know this woman.

"I'd love to meet her sometime."

Had Giles not interrupted when he did, Dawn wasn't sure she could have kept it together. "Dawn-" When Dawn heard his voice and saw him leaning against the doorframe, she jumped. "Why don't you come downstairs, sweetheart, join the party? It's often we give you a chance like this." He took a dress that was hanging on the outside of the wardrobe and handed it to Dawn.

"Would she have liked it? The dress?"

Dawn looked at Kyra, glancing at the dress she was wearing. Despite the neckline and the colour, the dresses were identical. She smiled sadly. "Yeah, she would have."

"Come down when you're ready."

Kyra walked over to the door. "What was your friend's name?"

"Cordelia."

Giles froze as Kyra frowned. "Cordelia..." Then she smiled. "I like it." 

Are you alright? Giles mouthed. Dawn nodded. He shut the door behind him. When he turned, he found 'Kyra' waiting for him across the hall. He pushed his free hand into his pocket and, ever the gentleman, offered 'Kyra' the drink in his other hand. She took it happily. "She's seems like a nice kid."

"She's wonderful. She's been through a lot but she's probably the stronger of us."

"You seem strong."

"I sort of have to."

"How's she settling into the move?"

"She's used to it, unfortunately. We, uh, we were in LA for a few months before this. But, she's almost finished High School and I want her to shave some sort of a settled life before she runs off to college."

"She mentioned her mom and sister?"

"Yes, her, um, her mother died. A couple of years back and Buffy travels a lot. For work."

Kyra smiled brightly. "So you've just been looking after her on your own?"

"No, there's Wesley and Xander and Willow and Anya and Tara... We're one big happy family. I could kill them sometimes but they're family."

Kyra smiled. "I'd like that. A family."

"What about your cousins?"

Kyra was unfazed as she studied all the photos that the gang had decided to cover the walls in. Well, Dawn, Willow and Tara. "Well, yeah, but a big family. What happened to her?"  
�Giles frowned. "Who?"

"Dawn's friend. Cordelia." Kyra's smile widened. "She said I reminded her of her."

Giles smiled sadly. "It is uncanny." He swallowed hard. "She, um..." He took a seat on the top of the stairs. "She disappeared."

Kyra was genuinely shocked. "Oh my god." She sat down beside him. "Dawn seemed so upset about her. Is that why everyone seemed so freaked out when I walked in?" Giles looked at her. "Yes, I noticed. It was kind of hard not to." 

Giles laughed. "I'm so sorry." Kyra waved it off. He couldn't believe it was possible, but he couldn't deny that it had been happening since Xander said that he had found her; the joy and hope he had felt. He had somehow at some point since he had last seen her, fallen in love with Cordelia Chase. 

"You look great." Giles pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked at Kyra, who was looking up and smiling at Dawn. 

He smiled up at her. "You look beautiful."

Kyra took her hand. "Come on, let's party."


	4. Chapter 4

The group sat around the following morning, discussing the events of the night before. "She didn't even give us a second look. It's like she never knew us."

Giles looked sadly on Xander, the one eye'd watcher. "I truly believe she doesn't. Whatever they're doing to her. They've taken us from her."

"They seem like such a nice family," Dawn said.

"So do we." When Wesley saw the sad look on her face he back-peddaled. "Not that we're not family, just that we're not always so nice."

"With the whole demon hunting and the vampire slaying?" Willow asked.

"Yes."

The phone rang. Dawn, closest, reached for it. "Hello…"

"I'm getting very tired of this." Giles stood up and began to pace. "We need to do something now. We need to bring her home."

Dawn, lifted her hand and the room fell silent. "Yeah, I'm free. I'll be over in 90 minutes. See ya then, bye." Dawn hung the phone. "That was Piper Halliwell. She wants me to babysit her boys."

Everyone in the room frowned. Willow looked especially shocked. "Should someone mention Miss Kitty Fantastico?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Piper, Paige, Prue and Kyra are going shopping, Leo and Phoebe are both going to be home but they have work to do so they need someone to keep an eye on the kids.

"I don't like the idea of you in the house alone with them." At the same time, Giles didn't want to give up a chance to get in that house again.

"I can go with Dawn," Willow offered, "snoop around if I get a chance. I like snooping."

"Is that alright with you?" Giles asked, though she was still a child he hated treating her like one. "Alright, Wesley and I will tail the sisters.

Xander looked at Anya and Tara. "We'll stay here: keep an eye on the house; come up with a plan if this goes ka-blamo; fend off Angel and Buffy if they call."

"I don't like lying to Buffy," Dawn objected.

"Nor I-" Giles agreed.

"Dawn, if Angel finds out that she might still be alive, he'll storm the place without hesitation-" Giles shifted uncomfortably beside him. "- so will Buffy. We need to know exactly what we're dealing with before we tell them what's going on."

After creating a game plan, the group all stood up and left the kitchen. Everyone but Wesley and Giles. "What's going on?"

"I believe you know as much as I do." Giles began pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Coffee?"

"You're infatuated with her, aren't you?" Wesley asked.

Giles shook his head exasperated. "I am not infatuated wi-"

"In love, then." Giles looked at him, about to deny it, but somehow not. He turned away from Wesley. "You're not denying it."

"I am. The words just don't seem to be making their way out." Giles walked over to the table and resumed his seat. "When I saw her, standing there, happy... I'd forgotten what her smile could do." Wesley raised an eyebrow. "No, not that, you ninny. It... It's as if that smile could melt away all the awful, atrocious things in the world. I'd never really appreciated her all that much in Sunnydale. I didn't realise how dark everything could ultimately get."

"Rupert, you need to remember Cordelia and Kyra are two different people. You need to decided which one it is you've fallen for and if you're prepared to lose Kyra if she's the one you love. And be prepared for Angel when he finds out she's back."

~~ 

Finally, Kyra walked out of the store, alone, glancing in her bag. Wesley and Giles followed her for a way before she took a sharp turn to the left, down a side alley. As they followed her down, she spun around. "Why are you guys following me?"

Wesley and Giles remained unfazed. "We just want to talk to you. Alone."

"I would never hurt you," Giles reassured.

"Nor I," Wesley agreed.

"Well, I'm not beginning to feel too safe."

Giles took a step towards her, his hand held out. "Kyra, I --"

"Don't take another step." Giles and Wesley both spun around to see Piper, Prue and Kyra. Giles looked back: the woman they had followed down the alley no longer looked like Kyra but had changed to Paige.

"That's a cute parlor trick," Wesley said.

"Giles, just tell me,please: what's going on?"

Giles turned back to the real Kyra, his hands positioned at his waist, ready to grab the dagger that hung from his belt. Wesley's hands were doing the same but at the moment he wished he had the crossbow and Wesley had the dagger. "What's going on is they are going to let you come to us, and if any of you are thinking of hurting her, you'll regret it."

"Us hurt her?" Piper asked. "You're the ones stalking her."

"Let her come to us and we'll leave. Prescott Street, San Francisco. We'll leave you all,"

Suddenly something appeared, blocking Giles view of Kyra, and grabbed her. Giles rushed for the demon, while Wesley and the sisters fought of the slew of other demons that appeared. Giles pulled the demon away from Kyra and turned him towards Wesley. "Wes!" Wes quickly turned the crossbow behind him, as Piper called for Leo, and hit the demon square in the chest. He turned into flames and as he did, another demon let loose a fire ball, aimed at Kyra. Giles pushed her behind a skip, but in doing so, got the edge of the fireball.

A million, bright lights appeared in front of him.

_Oh, brilliant, this is how it happens. A tiny fireball from a petty demon._

When he opened his eyes, he was in the Halliwell living room, Leo leading him to the couch, Phoebe and Kyra watching him worriedly. Then Wesley appeared out of nowhere with the sisters.

"Step away from him."

"Wesley, I'd really rather not bleed to death. Leo, can heal. He's a Whitelighter."

Wesley frowned. "But... They're the stuff of myths."

"Yes, much like slayers, watchers, demons, vampires, witches and... The Charmed Ones, if I'm not mistaken." Leo knelt down before the older man and placed his hands over the wound. White lights emitted from Leo's hands as Giles' wound slowly disappeared. Kyra, sitting beside Giles, squeezed his hand tightly and gave a small gasp.

"You know who we really are?" Phoebe asked.

"I wasn't sure until I saw your powers - the fourth sister threw me off. But I'm guessing-" He pointed at Prue. "-telekinesis-" He moved his finger over to Piper. "-immobilisation-" And turned to Phoebe. "Cognition?"

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah. That's... Impressive."

"Where's Dawn?"

"We sent her home about an hour after she showed up. We asked her over so you would know we were out of the house, but we didn't want her in the crossfire."

"What do you want with Kyra?" Prue asked.

Giles looked at Wesley, then at Kyra. "Wesley, run across the street and round up the others, bring them back here. It's time to lay all our cards on the table." He looked at the Halliwells. "All of us."

"Shall I call Angel?" Giles shook his head. "Rupert, he needs to know what's going on." 

"No," he moved his head towards Kyra. "She needs to know what's going on. If we're wrong, if we all have to live with being wrong, having that hope taken away from us, why should we do that to him too?"

As Wesley sprinted out the door, Giles began to tell the story of Cordelia Chase, the cheerleader, the homecoming queen, the girl from Sunnydale who moved to LA. What she had given up to save the world. How she had been misused and possessed by a Higher Power, culminating in the birth of Jasmine and Angel's defeat of her.

"So what happened to her?" Phoebe asked. Giles looked up as the rest of the group walked into the room.

"She disappeared. We're not sure how or… She was taken from the hotel."

"And what does this have to do with Kyra?" Piper asked.  


Giles shook his head. "No. First, how did she come to be in your company?"

Phoebe looked from one sister to another then to Kyra. Kyra nodded. "I trust them. He took a fireball for me." She looked at the group. "I'm a higher-level demon, a seer. I had a vision about this beautiful world, this… Utopia. I told the sisters about it and if I help them achieve this new world, they'll make me human."

"That's all our story," Piper said, "it's time for you to finish yours."

Giles nodded and looked at Wesley. "Cordelia disappeared up until about a week ago. Xander saw her coming out of a night club." His eyes fell on Kyra. "When I said you were like Cordelia…" Wesley walked over and handed her a folded photograph. Kyra turned it over and gasped. Staring up at her was Angel, Wesley and… herself.

"That's not possible. I'd remember."

"Evidently not." Wesley sat at the other side of Kyra. "We were friends."

"There's no other explanation: Kyra and Cordelia are the same person."

"That's insane. There's no way Cordelia and Kyra are the same person. Kyra would have some sense of that," Prue argued.

"There's a way to find out." Phoebe had already began scanning the tome in front of her before the story had finished. "Not so much a way to find out, as a …" Giles craned his head and read the spell she was looking at. Call a past spirit

"No."

"Rupert, there's no other way."

"No, Wes, he's right. The number of things that could go wrong: if Kyra and Cordelia aren't connected we're opening up a gate to any other spirit, killing Kyra."

"Hey," Kyra stood up and grabbed the book. "This is my decision. You guys," she looked at the Halliwells, "the reason I want to be human is to feel happiness and sadness and love and all those emotions that people live for. And it sounds like Cordelia had all of that. She sounds like someone I'd like to be. I'm doing this."

 ~~

It was settled. Everyone moved up to the attic, where Prue and Phoebe began drawing the needed Pentagram and Triquetra in chalk on the floor, and Paige and Piper organised the potion.

Once everything was set, Kyra was placed at the centre of the chalk drawings. Willow handed her the potion. "Once we start chanting, drink this." Kyra nodded, sitting on the floor. Giles, Wesley and Xander opted to be the three men needed to stand at the points of the triquetra and each took their place as they drew a thin line on their palms with a sharp knife, dropping their blood into the centre of the drawings. "You three need to hold onto each other, no matter what. Keep holding hands." And finally the five witches sat on the points of the pentagram.

Wesley, Xander and Giles all clasped bleeding hands. The chanting began. Kyra drank her potion.

Nothing happened.

Then-


	5. Chapter 5

There was nothing but red behind her eyes as the pain seared through her body and her head. She wanted it to stop. It would be so easy for her to stop it, to open her eyes and then it would be all over.

No. Don't. Please. Let me come home. 

Her voice drowned out all the noise. Inside her head anyway.

~~

Her scream pierced through them as she writhed on the floor in agony.

"Cordy-" Xander was about to break the connection but Giles stopped him.

"If you break it, she will die, we will never get her back. Is that what you want?"

And so Xander had no choice but to keep holding on, despite the screaming and the wind that was trying to throw them backwards and the invisible beings that were barging against them, they held on.

Almost as soon as it started, the screaming stopped. The wind died down, the barging stopped. The witches stopped chanting.  
�"Cor," Xander was about to move over to his old friend but Willow stopped him.

"You can't break the connection until we can be certain she's in there."

It felt like an eternity to Giles, watching the barely moving body, waiting for more signs of life.

Finally, her eyes fluttered open. The witches stood, powers at the ready for whatever being they were faced with. She tried standing up but eventually collapsed back onto her knees, her head bent, her body shaking. "Cordy," Xander tried again. Despite the shaking, a small little head nod was perceptible. Instinctively, Giles broke the connection and fell to the side of the little form they had all been surrounding, wrapping his arms around her.

Nothing happened.

Her arms raised and clutched on to his. "Is it really you?" he asked, his voice shaking as much as her physical form was. He felt her nod against him. He helped her to her feet and when she lifted her head, her face and Giles shirt were soaked with tears but Cordelia was smiling.

Wesley bit back a sob, instead letting the tears well in his eyes. "Cordelia." He walked over to her and took her from Giles. She clung onto him so tightly, not wanting to ever let her friends go.

~~

"Guys, I got possessed, I'm not an invalid." She was sitting on the couch in the living room, Willow and Dawn sitting next to her, a blanket over her legs and being offered cups of tea after cups of tea.

"So, um, what about Kyra?" Phoebe asked.

"She's still in here, as much as she ever was. Kyra was me; I am Kyra. Her memories are mine. But she was a creation."

"Whose?" Wesley asked.

"Jasmine's." Cordelia explained how, after Jasmine had discovered how deadly Cordelia's blood could be, she needed her hidden, so she hid her in the underworld. 

"So let's kill the Bitch," Xander suggested.

"We can't. The only way Jasmine can be defeated is if I die."

"Then we need a plan b."

Cordelia nodded, then frowned. "Where's Giles?"

As she walked across the street, Cordelia pulled the scarf she had wrapped around her dress closer to her. She pushed open the front door of the house. "Giles."

She heard his voice coming from the kitchen. "That was my decision, don't take it out on Wesley." She walked in towards the kitchen as silence fell. She watched him, his back to her as she leaned against the doorframe. "We didn't know what we were dealing with." He rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Come to San Francisco and stop being a brooding little pillock." He slammed down the phone.

"I'm guessing Angel heard the news." Giles turned around. Cordelia walked further into the room and sat beside him. 

"He's happy you're alright."

"Look at me." He finally brought his eyes to meet hers for the first time since she came back. She pressed her forehead to his lips and he let his arms wind back around her shoulders. "What you felt- What she felt, it was a little left field but it was real. And I'm her." She looked up at him, her brown eyes watering up again. "And I'm scared because I hurt so many people and so much has been left unresolved and I want to leave it all unresolved and be with you. Which is strange." Giles laughed. She smiled and buried her face into his neck. "I think, maybe I could be falling for you."

"That's a scary thought." He looked at her sadly. "You need time. Before you should be allowed to think anything like that, you need time."

Cordelia nodded. "We're summoning Jasmine."

~~

The chanting began, everyone took their places around where she would be arriving, ready to fight if necessary. But it seemed there would be no fighting. Jasmine appeared out of nowhere, smiling serenely. "Hello, Mother." She looked at Cordelia. "I thought I sensed a change in you."

Cordelia recoiled at the sight of the rotting flesh. "Listen Jasmine, I want to keep this short and sweet. I'm so very proud of you."

"Is that so?"

Cordelia nodded. "Yeah, with you around, I can give up any hopes of being the worst daughter in history, so thank you for that. Now get the hell out of my sight, and never come back." Cordelia stepped backwards, and Willow stepped forwards. She said a few words Cordelia could not understand and a portal to another dimension was opened and Jasmine was sucked though. "You're the Powers problem now."

~~  
Angel arrived, but he was too late. Truth be told, he'd been too late the night she received those visions. But it was clear to anyone who saw her there sleeping, with Giles arm protectively around her shoulder, she was home.

 

~~  
FIN  
~~

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place post-Chosen and post Angel Season 4. Angel Investigations don't move to Wolfram and Hart. Pretty much everyone's alive. YAYAYYYYYYYYY


End file.
